Rift
by SpaceKydet
Summary: Lex harbors feelings that may lead to problems in his relationship with Lana.
1. Part 1

The Talon. After 20 years, it was still around. Lana had grown tired of Smallville many years ago and had since hired someone to take it over for her. Yet someone still had to do the reports every week and the only person Lana trusted to do that already had his hands full.  
  
"Somebody looks busy." A voice came from behind her.  
  
"Lex. This is a surprise. I didn't expect you home until Friday evening."  
  
Lex frowned at her, a hurt expression in his eyes.  
  
Lana smiled, "Not that I'm complaining."  
  
"Good." He replied, slipping his arms around her waist and leaning in for a kiss, "Want to have some fun?"  
  
Lex's eyes metriculated mischieviously toward the pool table at the side of the room.  
  
"Daddy!"  
  
Lex pulled back from Lana with a sigh. The pool table would have to wait until later.  
  
The Luthor's 16 year old daughter walked in, a look of shock on her face.  
  
"Superman just saved a group of people from a major car accident on 5th Street!"  
  
At the mention of Superman, Lex's face went from happy to grim.  
  
"Lena, how many times have we gone over this?"  
  
Lana looked at Lex a worried expression crossing her face as he continued to speak.  
  
Lex continued, "We do not mention that name in this home!"  
  
As Lex's anger rose, so did his voice.  
  
Ever since Lana had married Lex, his and Clark's friendship had ceased. About a year before they had wed, Lana told Lex Clark's secret. She hadn't meant to tell him, it just slipped during a conversation about Lana and Clark's past relationship together.  
  
Lana wasn't sure if it was just the fact that Lex knew Clark's secret, or if it was all about the marriage; Clark had neglected to accept the invitation as Lex's best man and hadn't even attend the wedding at all. Either way, Lana knew there was more to it, something that Lex wasn't telling her.  
  
Lex stared at Lena, his face reddened with anger, her eyes flushed with tears. Normally Lana loved Lex and normally everything was just fine. It was only when the name Superman was mentioned that Lex had these rages.  
  
Lena left the room after a few moments silence. Lana assumed she had went back to her room. Lex also went back to business as if nothing had happened. He put his hands back around Lana, and started to lift her off her feet.  
  
Lana released herself from his grasp and walked out of the room, leaving Lex to think about what his anger was doing to their relationship.  
  
- - -  
  
Lana breathed in the fresh autumn air, the crisp wind featherly softly across her face. She signed. Sometimes Lana just felt like giving up on Lex. Though the thought had crossed her mind once or twice, she would never actually do it.  
  
Lana, as most people would put it, lived a charmed life. She was married to the richest and most powerful man in Metropolis with whom she shared a daughter with, she herself was a successful clothing designer, and she had zero problems… Aside from the rift that was starting between the happy couple.  
  
Suddenly she felt a warm hand on her bare shoulder. It was Lex.  
  
She didn't speak. This time, it was Lex's turn to apologize. Slowly Lex placed his free arm around her waist, turning her to face him.  
  
Lana could feel his breathe on her face, she could see the bitterness in his icey blue eyes.  
  
"You know how I feel about him, Lana."  
  
Lana continued to stare, her expression taunting for an explanation, even though she already knew the answer.  
  
"Cla..Cl…Superman and I, we have our differences-"  
  
"Oh give it a rest Lex! You can't even speak Clarks name anymore."  
  
Lana pulled away. She saw the fury in Lex's eyes return at the mention of the name.  
  
"Just because you and Clark had an argument over some petty thing back in Smallville, doesn't mean you have to act like a child."  
  
"That 'petty' thing wasyou, Lana. We both know how Clark felt… Still feels about you."  
  
"Yes, but you know the exact reason why I picked you over a superhero, Alexander."  
  
With that Lana walked backinside. This time, Lex didn't follow.  
  
- - -  
  
The rain washed over his head, drenching every inch of his body. Why couldn't he tell Lana the truth. They'd been together for 20 years, 16 pf them married to each other.  
  
Lex knew why. If he told her the truth, she would leave him. Leave him for Clark.  
  
Since before him and Lana had ever became a couple, Lex had been investigating the strange things that happened in Smallville. After they had gotten together, Lex had found what he was looking for. He found out that his best friend, Clark, was the cause of all that was happening.  
  
Eventually, Lex had let on that he knew Clarks secret, but Clark trusted him with it. It wasn't until Lana had let their secret slip that Clark started being distant. Clark and Lex didn't talk much after that, not including the argument they had had over Lana.  
  
Clark grew up and moved to Metropolis with Chloe and Pete to attend college, Lana moved in with him. Lex had just bought out LuthorCorp and expanded LexCorp to Metropolis, when Clark got in the way.  
  
Clark had become known as Superman by most. Only those who were once close to him knew the truth. If it wasn't for Superman, Lex would have owned half of Metropolis by now… Even if most of what he was doing was Illegal. He was a Luthor, he could get away with it.  
  
But to Lana, Lex was wholesome and honest. In Lana's eyes, he was everything but a Luthor. This killed Lex inside. He wished he could be himself around Lana, and have her love him for who she was, but that could never happen. She was a girl with class.  
  
The rain continued to pour down as Lex made his way down the sidewalk. Tired of the rain, he ducked inside a small café on the corner.  
  
He surveyed the room, making sure no one he knew was inside.  
  
"Mr. Luthor, table for two this afternoon?" A waiter politely asked.  
  
"No, just the one today."  
  
The waiter looked taken aback. "Well, may I take your coat sir."  
  
The waiter looked Lex up and down, his eyes settling on the puddle forming beneath his shoes.  
  
Lex tossed the heavy jacket at the waiter and strode towards the back of the café, where it was dark and quiet.  
  
Lex was halfway through his third glass of whiskey when he heard a familiar drawl across the table from him.  
  
"Lex. Long time since I've seen you around."  
  
Lex kept his eyes on the glass, avoiding eye contact with the woman.  
  
"Hello Victoria."  
  
"Don't sound so happy, Lex. It's been a while since we've… Talked."  
  
He didn't answer. Instead, he signaled the waiter.  
  
"Another glass of whiskey… and a shot of tequilla." He ordered.  
  
"What's wrong Lex, you only drink like this when something hasn't gone your way."  
  
Lex was going to tell her off, but he made the mistake of looking up first.  
  
Victoria was still as stunning as when he had last seen her, her looks as youthful as ever. It seemed she was immune to the ageing process.  
  
"Make that two shots!" He called to the waiter.  
  
"Now, now, Lex…"  
  
"You haven't changed a bit Victoria."  
  
Victoria smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
No sooner than they started talking, the drinks had arrived. Lex knocked back the two shots, took a gulp of the whiskey and ordered another round before the waiter could take two steps away.  
  
Normally Lex could handle his alchohol, but today was different. After only two, or three… Shit, he lost count… His words were already slurring, he couldn't think strait and all inhibitions has left his head.  
  
Lex finished the second round as soon as it arrived, pulled a fifty out of his wallet to pay the waiter and grabbed Victoria's hand, dragging her off towards the door.  
  
The rain had stopped. Lex quickly made the long walk back to his car, dragging Victoria along with him.  
  
Within five minutes time they were back at the mansion, inside and making their way upstairs to the bedroom. Victoria wasn't protesting and Lex was to smashed to know what he was doing.  
  
Lex tore off her clothes and threw her on the bed, unable to resist the temptation before him. The deed was already in the doing, why stop now?  
  
Lex was caught up in the action, so much that he didn't hear the doorknob open.  
  
"Lex."  
  
Lex looked up from the bed, the world crashing down around him. Lana had just walked in. 


	2. Part 2

The long white lace flowed for yards on the deep red carpet, looking like pace ice next to the black tuxedo.   
  
There was a large crash as Lana carelessly tossed the wedding photo into a box. Along with the rest of their wedding memorabilia, stood a box of memories that spanned the 20 years she and Lex had spent together. Albums apon albums of pictures, dried flowers from their first date he had bought her, a long silver chain with two entwined hearts on the end reading ' L L .' She wanted to get rid of all of it, she didn't want a single thing that would remind her of Lex and the terrible pain he had caused her.   
  
For hours now she had been in tears, trying to figure out what to do. Lana had finally settled on a solution. It broke her heart to think about it, but it was the only thing that sounded right after what Lex had done. She was leaving him.   
  
- - -   
  
Lex hung the ring from his finger, staring at the large diamond in the center. Lana's wedding ring.   
  
Finally, after Lana screaming and yelling at him, he had sobered up. Now he sat in an old booth outside the Talon back in Smallville. Years had passed since he'd be in the Smallville, let alone setting foot in the Talon.   
  
Everybody recognized him. He was a Luthor. The Luthor that had stolen the town's princess from their hero, Clark Kent. Yet nobody said a word to him. The waitress took his order, gave him his bill… Those were the only words exchanged.   
  
"To what do we owe this visit Mr. Luthor?" a voice came from behind him.   
  
Oh no, this is not going to happen again…   
  
Lex looked up as she joined him in the booth. "Chloe, not who I was expecting."   
  
"I missed you to." She replied, the sarcasim in her voice hinting how little she'd changed.   
  
Lex stared at her, his mouth shut. Chloe's smile faded away after a few moments, only to be replaced by a worried frown.   
  
"What's wrong, Lex?"   
  
He sighed, still not answering.   
  
Chloe went. "Problems with Lana, I see… So, what you do?"   
  
"Lex's face twisted. "What makes you so sure I did anything?"   
  
"Well, for onem you're eyes are puffy as hell," Chloe continued to report," And twp, since when do you sit and stare at a ring for…forever."   
  
Lex still didn't reply   
  
"…A ring that should still be on Lana's finger if you hadn't done something to screw thigns up."   
  
Lex had to hand it to her. Even after growing up, Chloe would still give it to you how it was. No sugar-coating allowed.   
  
"Lana and I had a fight. A big fight… And I did something stupid."   
  
"So, apologize. I'm sure Lana would forgive you."   
  
"It's not that easy, Chloe. You can't apologize for what I did."   
  
New tears started to form in Lex's eyes…A side he had never let anyone see before.   
  
"I…I slept with another woman." He announced just quietly enough so nobody but Chloe could hear.   
  
- - -   
  
Chloe was stunned. Nothing in her right mind could have prepared her for what she had just heard.   
  
To everyone, Lex had always been a playboy.. Fratronizing with a new girl every week. But Chloe had thought she had seen something different in him when he was with Lana. Then again… Maybe Luthors couldn't change.   
  
"Lex."   
  
"Hhmm? He grumbled from his side of the table."   
  
"Why on earth would you do something so, so…Stupid!"   
  
Did she expect an answer? No, he had already said what she had just told him, why answer his own statements?   
  
"Look Lex. I'm not exactly thrilled to know this. After all, Lana and I were pretty close before she left to Metropolis. But, you need to get her back. Somehow."   
  
"And how am I going to do that? You have a time machine up your sleeve Chloe?"   
  
"Ha! I wish. Then I could save myself the mistakes and be out of this small town for good."   
  
Lex stared blankly at her, not a sign of laughter on his face.   
  
"Okay, look. You take me to Metropolis with you, and I'll help you out Luthor. Do we have a deal or not?"   
  
She gave him a final look. A look of closure… Like he had no choice in the matter.   
  
"Fine, he replied. It won't work, but we won't know if we don't try."   
  
Lex grabbed his coat and walked towards the exit.   
  
"Wait!" Chloe yelled.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Can we stop at my place first? I would like to get some clothes before we leave."   
  
Lex continued towards the door, leaving Chloe to her spot by the booth.   
  
He stopped, and turned. "Come on, let's go." 


End file.
